Gtjstav ebeiwald



s. FREIWALD.

DELIVERY BOX. I APPLICATION FILED "MAIL I6. 1.918.

1 ,3 1 6, 1 52.` Patented Sept, I6, i919..

ATTORNEY 'nm cnLllMnm PLANnrmAPl cm, WASHINri'rON. u C.

GUSTAV FREIWALD, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

DELIVERY-Boix.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Appncation filed. March 1e, 191s. `sei-iai No. 222,914.

Be it known that I, G'Usrav FREIWALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Delivery- Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic delivery and receiving box.

rlhe main object of the invention is to provide a receptacle of this character which is designed especially for use in apartments or dwellings where the occupants are away for the greater portion of the time so that collections and deliveries may be made without inconvenience and which is so constructed that it can be turned in one direction only and when the various compartments are iilled the door of the receptacle will be automatically locked and can only be opened with a key.

Another object is to providepa receiving receptacle for protecting the articles placed therein from the elements as well as from tampering by thieves.

Another object is to provide a device for delivering articles from the exterior to the interior of a building without having a free open passageway which would allow un authorized entrance to the building.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a box constructed in accordance with this invention and shown mounted in the side wall of a building,

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section thereof, and y Fig. 3 is a horizontal section with parts broken out, the door of the receptacle being shown closed in full lines and open in dotted lines.

1n the embodiment illustrated, a suitable casing or inclosure 1 is provided which is here shown circular in cross section, al-` though obviously, it may be of any other desired cross sectional contour.

This cylindrical casing 1 lwhich is permanently positioned within a wall- W of a building, is provided with a rear receiving opening, closable' by a hinged door 2, while a similar' opening is provided in the opposite or outer side of the casing closable by a similar door 31, having a handle 4, and which is limited in its" opening movement by stops 5. The door 3, which is positioned outside the building, is nioun'ted on an axle or pintle 6, to which is fixed sector-shaped rack 7, designed to tirrn with the door during its opening and closing movement. This `rack 7 meshes with a cogged or toothed annulus 8, which is fixed to a centrally dis`- posed rotary shaft 9, the ends ofwhich are journaled in the top and bottom of the casing `1 as is shown clearly in Fig. 2.

The shaft 9 carries the article receiving and delivering` member, here shown in the form of a rotor loose on the shaft `and comprising a bottom member 10 with plates or partitions 11 extending radially from the central sleeve 12 through which the shaft 9` passes.` As shown, four of these partitions 11 are provided, arranged at diametrically opposite points, although obviously any desired number may be used according to the number of compartments the rotor is del signed to contain. lt is to be understood that the compartments formed by these partitions are designed to receive the articles to be received or delivered, and that whensaid rotor is turned, these compartments willbe brought into register with the openings at the front and rear of the casing 1, theopening1 of door 3 operating through the sectorshaped rack 7 toturn `said rotor a quarter of a revolution.

Carried by the upper face of the toothed annulus 8 is an annular ratchet member 18 with which is designed to coperate a pawl 14 carried by the bottom 10 of the rotor so that when the door 3 is opened, the pawl engaging the teeth of the ratchet will operate to turn the rotor or articlereceiving receptacle a quarter of a revolution and when the door is closed the pawl will ride freely over the ratchet without actuating the rotor thereby leaving the, compartment which has been `turned within the casing 1 beyond the opening which is covered bythe closure or door 3 so that access to said compartment cannot be obtained after the rotor has been so turned. l

From the above description it will be seen that the continued opening and closing of door 3 Will operate to turn the rotor one complete revolution so that all of the compartments formed by the partitions 11 Will be successively brought opposite the opening closed by the outer door 3, and When the fourth partition is brought into a predetermined position Which occurs after the illing of all the compartments, the casing l is locked in engagement With the rotor by a lock l5, This lock 15 as shown in Fig. 3, projects into casing l and is designed to be engaged by one of the partitions ll', the others l1 being made narrow enough to clear the lock When the rotor is turned.

It Will thus be seen that after the various compartments of the rotor have been filled, the door 3 Will no further operate to turn the rotor and it can only be released from inside the building by the occupant Who opens lock 15 and removes the articles from the rotor by reversing the direction of movement thereof; From the foregoing description, taken in connection With the 'accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and oftheV method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains and While I have described the principle of operation of the invention together vvith the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that ythe device shovvn is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made as are Within the scope of the claimed invention,

I claim l. In a device of the class described, a casing having an opening in one side Wall, a hinged closure therefor, a rotor mounted in said casing and provided with compartments, adapted to register With the opening in the casing, a lock having a key retractable element projecting into said casing, the upright Walls of all of said compartments except one escaping said element on the turning of the rotor, the Wall constituting said exception being engaged by said projecting y lock element to lock the rotor at a predetermined point, gearing` arranged between said rotor and closure to provide for the partial turning of the rotor on the opening of the closure, and means to permit the closing of the closure Without affecting the rotor.

2. In a device of the class described, a casing having an opening in one side wall, a hinged closure for said opening, a sectorshaped rack carried by said closure, a rotor, a shaft extending loosely through said rotor and movable independently thereof, a toothed annulus fixed to said shaft and meshing With said rack, and cooperating means carried by said rotor and annulus whereby the rotor is turned with the annulus when the latter is moved in one direction and Which remains stationary when the annulus is moved in the opposite direction, and cooperating means carried by said rotor and casing to lock the rotor at a predetermined point.

3. In a device of the class described, a casing having an opening in one side wall, a hinged closure for said opening, a sectorshaped rack carried by said closure, a rotor mounted in said casing land provided with spaced upright Walls forming eon'ipartments, a shaft extending loosely through said rotor, a toothed annulus fixed to said shaft and meshing With said rack, an annular ratchet carried by said annulus, a pawl carried by said rotor and engaging said ratchet whereby the opening of the closure will operate to turn the rotor, and the closing thereof will leave it stationary, one of said upright walls projecting at its outer edge in advance of the others and a retractable locking element extending through said casing into the path of said projecting wall edge.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of tivo witnesses.

GUSTAV FREIVVALD.

Witnesses:

W. F. MAGILL, GEO. H. CALDWELL.

Copies of ythis patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

